After ‘no’ on F-16s, U.S. says they ‘clearly have a role’ in Ukraine war

After ongoing debate about providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia, the U.S. military now says the jets 'clearly have a role' in the war.

After long ruling out providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia, the U.S. military now says the jets “clearly have a role” in the war.

The U.S. joined the F-16 coalition that includes the U.K., Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands during the recent G7 meeting in Hiroshima, Japan. The coalition aims to provide training to Ukrainians on the jets, but it is not clear yet who will provide the equipment. Denmark and the Netherlands will lead the training, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Thursday.

On Thursday, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said in a press conference that Ukraine “deserves a capable air force,” but it will take a considerable amount of time to build up an air force that’s the size, scope and scale necessary.

“There’s no magic weapons,” Milley said.

He noted that just 10 F-16 jets would cost about $2 billion — half for the cost of the fighters and half for sustainment. Russia primarily flies MiG and Sukhoi aircraft, several models of which are more advanced than many of the jets Ukraine currently flies.

“If you’re going to contest Russia in the air, you’re going to need a substantial amount of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters,” Milley said, noting Russia has about 1,000 fourth- and fifth-generation fighters.

Fourth-generation fighters are typically aircraft rolled out in the 1980s, which are less advanced than the fifth-generation ones developed over the last two decades, which employ some form of stealth capability and better situational awareness.

Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets, for example, are fourth-generation, as is the F-16, while the F-22 flown by the U.S. navy and the F-35 that Canada is set to procure are fifth-generation.